Information courtesy of Disability.gov

Many people take time away from the workplace to care for family members with disabilities. Congress is considering a bill that would allow these caregivers to continue earning Social Security benefits while away from work.

The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would allow people who provide at least 80 hours a month of unpaid assistance for a relative with disabilities to continue earning Social Security credits. They would be able to continue earning these credits for up to five years.

These credits are necessary to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Social Security retirement benefits are based upon a person’s earnings in the workplace. This bill would count months spent as a caregiver as if they had been paid a wage.

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